Last week, my partner received her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit envious. She qualified for the shot, working at an elementary school and having faced serious health issues last fall, which placed her at a higher risk for COVID complications. It was a huge relief for our family to secure her appointment. However, this made me ponder when I might get my turn. As a 38-year-old man with no underlying health issues and the ability to work from home, I know it could be a while. Once those thoughts faded, another question arose: when will my kids—ages 6, 11, and 13—be eligible for vaccination? I’m sure many parents are grappling with this same concern.
To find answers, I turned to Dr. Alex Rivera, a leading epidemiologist. In a recent interview, he shared a tentative timeline: “Realistically, if we consider when we will have enough data to safely vaccinate elementary school children, I believe it could be as early as the end of this year, but most likely in early 2022.”
Currently, the FDA has granted emergency authorization for three COVID-19 vaccines. The Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines are for adults aged 18 and older, while the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which my partner received, is authorized for those 16 and up.
At this stage, it’s crucial to vaccinate as many adults as possible. CDC data indicates that children typically experience milder cases of COVID-19 than adults. Nonetheless, they can still contract and spread the virus, and some may require ICU care or even face long-term effects. For a return to normalcy—where kids can attend school and socialize as they did before March 2020—it’s essential to have an approved vaccine for them. Vaccinating children is key to achieving herd immunity, and until we reach that milestone, measures like social distancing, mask-wearing, and school closures will likely continue.
I fully support the precautions surrounding COVID-19; the toll this virus has taken is severe. However, I must admit I’m weary of this lifestyle. I miss social interactions and the normal routine of dropping my kids off at school and heading to the office. Many others likely feel the same way. Until both adults and children are vaccinated, we must adapt to our current situation.
To provide an update on vaccine approval for children, Pfizer and Moderna began seeking participants for their clinical trials late last year, while Oxford University, which partnered with AstraZeneca, planned to start testing on 12-to-18-year-olds this month. Now that Johnson & Johnson has received approval for adults, they are preparing to initiate trials for children, including infants, with a focus on teenagers first.
Returning to Dr. Rivera’s interview, he expressed optimism that teenagers might start receiving vaccines around the beginning of the school year. “It may not be the exact first day, but it will be pretty close,” he noted.
In summary, there is progress being made. Many may know someone who has already been vaccinated, which is a positive sign. If you’re fortunate like my partner, you’ve already received your shot. However, it will take some time before children can be vaccinated, impacting the timeline for returning to normal school and social activities. We’ve persevered through this long ordeal, and now there’s at least a faint light at the end of the tunnel for us and our kids.
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